Fire-escape.



No. 638,950. Patented Dec. I2, I899. W. T. ADDISON & G. WRIGHT.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(N M d I (Application filed Apr. 1, 1899.)

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ES TENT WILLIAM T. ADDISON AND GILBERT WRIGHT, OF NEIV CASTLE, INDIANA, AS-

SIGNORS OF THREE-FIFTHS TO HENRY J. ADAMS AND STEPHEN ADAMS, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,950, dated December 12, 1899.

Application filed April 1, 1899. Serial No. 711,380. (No model.)

To all whom it may OO Embracing the peripheral edges of the Be it known that we, WILLIAM T. ADDISON flanges of the drum is a flat brake strap or and GILBERT WRIGHT, citizens of the United band 10, having one end fixed by connection States, residing at New Castle, in the county with a transverse pin or bar 11, which passes 55 5 of Henry and State of Indiana, have invented through the opposite sides of the frame near a new and useful Fire-Escape, of which the its upper end. The opposite end of the band following is a specification. extends nearly entirely around the flanges,

This invention relates to portable fire-esbeing free or movable and connected to a bellcapes of that class embodying a frictionallycrank lever 12, mounted within the hollow 6o controlled rope-drum, and has for its object hand-grasp at the lower end thereof. A subto improve the manner of mounting and 019- stantially U-shaped link 13 formstlhe connecerating the brake-band. tion between themovable end of the band To this end the present invention consists and the bell-crank lever, the band being conin the combination and arrangement of parts, nected to the bend of the link and the arms 65 I as will be hereinafter more fully described, of the latter embracing the adjacent end of shown in the accompanying drawings, and the bell-crank lever, to which they are suitparticularly pointed out in the claims. ably pivoted. The opposite end of the bell- In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective crank lever; is provided with an operatingview of the device. Fig. 2 is a vertical lonhandle 14, which extends at oneside of the 70 2o gitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a hand-grasp adjacent to the fixed end of the vertical transverse sectional View. Fig. 4 is brake-band andopposite the movable end a detail perspective view of the brake-lever. thereof. It will be noted that both the bot- Corresponding parts are designated by like tom and one side of the hand-grasp are open reference characters in all the figures of the to accommodate the bell-crank lever and the 75 drawings. operating-handle, respectively.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, The means for suspending the person from the parts of the device are carried by a subthe device comprises a belt or strap 15, havstantially rectangular frame 1, having a holing a pendent loop or strap 16, connected at low hand-grasp 2 extending upward centrally its opposite ends to diametrically opposite 80 0 from the top cross-piece of the frame. points upon the belt. The latter carries a Located within the frame is a rope-drum 3, snap-hook 17, which is adaptedto be hooked having opposite fixed journals 4, which are into an eye or link 18, provided upon the mounted in the inner faces of the respective lower transverse end of the frame 1. side members of the frame. The drum is pro- In the operation of the device the belt is 8 vided with opposite peripheralflanges 5, much fastened about the waist of the person. The greater in diameter than the drum and exhook 9 at the end of the cable is engaged with tending nearly the entire distance between the window-frame or other object to provide the ends of the frame. Coiled about the a firm anchorage. The snap-hook 17 on the drum between its flanges is a wire cable 6, belt is engaged with the eye 18 of the frame. 90

which extends upward into the hollow hand- The hand-grasp and brake-operating lever grasp, is passed around a transverse tensionare grasped by one hand, and with the other pin 7, provided intermediate of the ends of hand the person lowers himself out of the thehand-grasp, and then outthrough an openwindow. The turning of the drum and the ing 8, formed through the top thereof. The unwinding of the cable are regulated by the 5 free extremity of the rope or cable is proband-brake, and thus the person may lower vided with a hook 9, to be engaged with the himself gradually to the ground. The device window-frame or some article of furniture in may be brought to a positive stop by means the room to provide an anchorage for the deof the brake for the purpose of aiding another vice when in use to lower a person out of a person or for any desired purpose. It will I00 window, as will be hereinafter more fully exbe understood that the pendent strap or loop plained. 16 is for the operator to sit upon, and the belt holds him steady, leaving his hands free to control the device and guide himself in his descent.

One of the journals of the drum is extended through and beyond the side of the frame, where it is made angular in form, as at 19, and adapted to receive a suitable key or crank 20, whereby the drum may be turned and the cable wound thereon in readiness for another to use.

By reason of the band-brake engaging both flanges the cable is effectively housed upon the drum, protected from the accumulation of dust and dirt, and said cable is confined upon the drum and prevented from becoming accidentally unwound or loosened thereon. The cable is passed around the pin 7 in the hand-grasp to provide atension for the same and prevent the possibility of any slack therein, as will be understood.

The present device provides a very useful and convenient portable fire-escape, as it is light and durable, is compact and takes up very little room, and is completely under the control of the operator when descending from a window.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed is 1. In a fire-escape, the combination of a frame having a fixed hand-grasp located at the upper end thereof, a drum having opposite peripheral flanges and mounted below the hand-grasp and within the frame, a cable or rope wound upon the drum and passing upwardly through the hand-grasp, a bandbrake embracing the peripheries of the flanges and having one end fixedly connected to the frame, a bell-crank lever mounted upon the frame and connected to the opposite free end of the brake-band, and operating means connected to the lever and located alongside of the hand-grasp in reach of the fingers of the hand that grips the handgrasp, substantiallyas shown and described.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of a frame having a fixed handgrasp at its up- .per end, adrum having opposite peripheral flanges mounted within the frame and below the hand-grasp, a cable or rope Wound upon the drum and passing upwardly through the hand-grasp, a band-brake embracing the peripheries of the flanges and having one end fixedly connected to the frame, a bell-crank lever pivoted to the lower end of the handgrasp, a link connected to the free end of the brake-band and pivoted to the adjacent end of the lever, and an operating-handle connected to the lever and located alongside of the hand-grasp, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of a frame having a hollow fixed hand-grasp at the upper end thereof, which is open at the lower end and throughout one side thereof, and provided with a transverse pin located within the hand-grasp and intermediate of the ends thereof, a drum located below the hand -grasp and having peripheral flanges mounted within the frame, a rope or cable wound upon the drum and passing upwardly through the hand-grasp and around the pin thereof, whereby a tension is provided upon the cable, a brake-band embracing the pe ripheries of the flanges and having one end fixedly connected to the frame, a bell-crank lever pivoted within the hand-grasp and projecting through the open lower end thereof, a substantially U-shaped link connected at its bend to the free end of the brake-band, and having the ends of its sides embracing the adjacent end of the bell-crank lever and pivoted thereto, and an operating-handle connected to the opposite end of the lever and projecting through the open side of the hand-grasp and located alongside thereof, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a fire-escape, the combination witha frame having a fixed hand-grasp extending above the top thereof, and a pendent suspending device or seat for the operator, of a drum mounted Within the frame, a rope or cable wound upon the drum and passing upward through the hand-grasp, a band-brake frictionally embracing the drum, and an operating-lever carried by the frame and located adjacent to one side of the hand-grasp and adapted to be operated by the hand of the operator which engages the hand-grasp, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. ADDISON.

GILBERT WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

D. W. KINSEY, FRED SAINT. 

